Making carbontrading mechanisms accessible to indigenous groups: Lessons from working with Maori in

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Making carbon-trading mechanisms accessible to
indigenous groups Lessons from working with
Maori in New Zealand

• Garth Harmsworth and Troy Baisden
• Landcare Research
• Palmerston North, New Zealand
• HarmsworthG_at_LandcareResearch.co.nz
• BaisdenT_at_LandcareResearch.co.nz

USDA Symposium, Baltimore, USA March 2005
Funding from New Zealand Foundation for Research
Science and Technology, and Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry
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Background

• FCCC and Kyoto address climate change because of
  environmental and social equity issues.
• Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.
• We are working with Maori groups
• increasing participation in science,
• finding out about aspirations and issues
• to inform policy we ask Maori how they will
  respond to policy options
• We examine what we know about Maori land, and its
  suitability for C sequestration
• We aim to help develop policy that works for
  Maori, in line with Maori issues, governance
  structures, aspirations

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The Kyoto Protocol in New Zealand

• New Zealand has signed and ratified
• Target is 1990 baseline
• Unusual emissions inventory
• Animal agriculture dominates emissions
• Exotic forests dominate sinks
• Policy frameworks being developed
• C taxes, etc. will apply
• Initial projects approaches underway
• No credit for exotic forests in CP1.
• Permanent forest sink mechanism

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Definitions
Direct human-induced conversion of land that has
not been forested for a period of at least 50
years, through planting seeding, human-induced
promotion etc  
Afforestation (FCCC)
Reforestation (FCCC)
Direct human-induced conversion of non-forested
land to forested land through planting, seeding,
human promotionon land that was forested
Marginal land  
Severe limitations to agricultural use, gt26
degrees, highly susceptible to erosion, low
productivity, not sustainable under pasture.
Class 7, 8, and some (10-30) Class 6 land  
Undeveloped land  
Under-utilised, not developed, not in a
productive state, unimproved pasture, scrub,
indigenous forest
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Maori People and the Land

• Indigenous Maori make up 15 of present New
  Zealand population (an assimilated,
  multi-cultural population with a strong Maori
  identity)
• Maori are of polynesian extract (came to NZ 1000
  years ago)
• 80 of Maori live in urban centres, but many own
  land throughout New Zealand based on
  ancestral-tribal connections and family (whanau)
  lineage
• Maori land now represents only 6 (1.5 Mha) of
  the total NZ land area
• Much of this land is fragmented, large proportion
  described as undeveloped (600,000 ha), large
  areas marginal

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The Extent of Maori Land
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Maori Land Ownership Governance

• Maori land differs from the western model
• Multiple-ownership many forms of governance and
  management
• Ancestral and historical connections are
  important
• These factors are reflected in legislation,
  politics, and land-owner aspirations
• Existing information on Maori land in NZ poor
• Myths and anecdotes dominate

This may be typical of land owned or managed by
indigenous groups around the world
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Research GIS Analysis of Maori Land

• Quantify land areas for
• 1. New Zealand
• 2. Gisborne-East Coast Tairawhiti (case study)
• Determine
• Maori land characteristics land use capability
• Maori ownership (governance) structures
  (decision-making ability of groups)
• Areas of marginal land
• Land cover (land use)
• Land eligible for reforestation/afforestation
  under Kyoto
• Opportunities for re/afforestation and risks of
  deforestation

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Key research questions

• How much Maori land is available for
  afforestation/reforestation, and at risk to
  deforestation?
• How are Maori likely to respond to policies?
• How do governance structures affect Maori land
  use? decision-making?
• How can we design policies to address the
  concerns of Maori?

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Legislation and Classification

• Maori Land Act (Te Ture Whenua Act) 1993
• Classifies land into
• 1. Maori freehold land (5 main types of trust)
• 2. Maori customary land
• 3. General land owned by Maori
• Where multiply-owned land results in absentee
  ownership, the Office of the Maori Trustee
  manages land on behalf of owners

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Governance of Maori Land
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• Well over 40 of Maori land regarded as marginal
  (Class 7 and 8 and areas on Class 6)

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Land Cover
Overall
Maori Land
23  
Indigenous forest
33  
23 
Scrub (regenerating)  
20 
7
12
Planted Exotic Forest  
44
30
Primary pastoral  
1
0.1
Primary horticultural  
0.5  
2.0  
Inland water and wetlands  
Other (Urban, mines, tussock)  
1.5
2.0
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Key Findings Land Analysis

• Total of 300,000 400,000 ha of Maori land
  defined as marginal
• Of this most Maori marginal land is in mature
  indigenous forest and scrub
• Only about 55,000 ha Maori pastoral land
  (grassland) is marginal
• Most marginal Maori pastoral land (45,000 ha) is
  in the case study region
• Existing land in indigenous forest and scrub is
  at risk of clearance
• Aim policies at promoting afforestation/
  reforestation and examine risk of clearing
  regenerating indigenous forest for exotic
  plantations

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Key research questions

• How much Maori land is available for
  afforestation/reforestation, and at risk to
  deforestation?
• How are Maori likely to respond to policies?
• How do governance structures affect Maori land
  use? decision-making?
• How can we design policies to address the
  concerns of Maori?

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Maori Perspectives

• Place paramount importance on retention and
  control of their land
• Are constrained by practical governance and
  ownership issues
• Are constrained by costs associated with new
  schemes or changing land-use
• Consider Local Government costs and restrictions
• Have unique perspectives on contracts, concepts
  of perpetuity, payment schedules, customary use,
  provision for continued use and rights under any
  scheme
• Have aspirations and visions for land
• Enthusiastically want to participate in research
  and policy development.
• Want to play a positive role in the environment
• Value employment and investment in their
  community

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C Trading Potential

• 25 capped value in NZ during 2008-2012.
• Native scrub (pioneer forest species) in Gisborne
  district averaged 7 tonnes CO2 per year with ages
  up to 50 years.
• Economic returns from carbon credits estimated at
  between 55 and 175 per ha.
• Needs to consider
• Differing land-governance frameworks
• Economic status
• Socio-cultural aspirations

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Key Findings Policy Design

• To design effective policy
• Need to understand complex governance or
  management structures to facilitate participatory
  decision-making
• Need to determine community aspirations, define
  issues, inform policy
• Design appropriate policy around stakeholders
• Design appropriate policy instruments to guide
  land-use and management and permit C trading

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Conclusions

• Carbon trading is seen as another land use
  opportunity within the context of Maori land
  management and sustainable development
• Due to the focus on social, cultural and
  environmental continuity, lessons learned from
  examining Maori land can be broadly applicable to
  rural development and the developing world.

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• Experimental Design for sequestration contracts
  on Maori land
• Maori would like to see contracts that
•  
• Take into account Maori ownership structures
  (Ahu Whenua Trusts, Incorporations etc.)
• Secure Maori ownership, rights, control
• Reflect Maori land use decisions/opportunities
• Encourage and reward afforestation/reforestation
• Reflect Maori values (e.g. customary use)
• Provide a length of contract terms (e.g. 10
  years, 15 years, 25 years)
• Provide some type of annual payment, a.p.
  options
• Allow long-term planning decisions
• Provide opt out clauses
• Include help with fencing, pest management